Château d'Arche 2023

Rather restrained on the nose, dominated by figs and dates; rich palate, a bit heavy-footed, with an interesting aromatic note of apple pie and cinnamon on the finish.

Another excellent Sauternes that would fall into the freshness category, which works better for most people these days, along with botrytis derived black tea and ginger spice. I love the freshness and poise and accompanied by bright orange and touches of white stone fruit on the palate, albeit not as suave as the white apricot expressed in some of the more successful Sauternes tasted. For the price, however, you cannot go wrong! With 148 grams of residual sugar, 4.9 grams per litre of total acidity and 3.85 pH.

Score: 90–92. Not very expressive, but very classic, with stewed yellow fruit (peach, apricot) and dried pear. The palate is more opulent and creamy. Notes of fresh apricot pulp, Victoria pineapple and fresh hazelnut come through. Delicious, but lacks freshness.

The bouquet stands out for its complexity and freshness, with notes of grapefruit, spices and toasted almonds. Dense and silky on the attack, the wine is inviting and harmonious, driven by a velvety, structuring texture. A flavoursome wine that can already be enjoyed young, yet has ample substance to benefit from time in the cellar as well!

The first 100% Sémillon from this estate. Low yields, excellent botrytis and concentration of flavours, plenty of freshness, supple, with a palate of peach, apricot, lashed with honey, with subtle spice and acacia.

On the orange side of the style range, with tangerines, mango, candied orange rind, apricot, and pineapple at its core in the perfume, and a bright, sweet, vibrant, almost tangy, honeyed finish. Drink from 2028-2045.

Disappointed! The nose smells of Scotch tape glue and the palate feels heavy! Nothing like the En Primeur tasting note!

The 2023 D'Arche continues the estate’s upward trajectory observed in recent vintages. Entirely crafted from Sémillon and fermented as well as matured in 50% new oak, it registers 148 grams per liter of residual sugar. The bouquet evokes apricot, exotic fruits, Anjou pear and ripe orchard fruits, articulated with clarity and precision. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and layered, it delivers impressive concentration without excess and is built around a fleshy core of fruit animated by vibrant acidity that carries through to a long, precise and ethereal finish. This is a controlled, finely judged expression of the vintage.